A lot of beginning artists don't realize the wealth of ways you can use a graphite pencil for drawing. Having used them for writing for so long, we are often conditioned to simply use just the tip of the pencil, controlling it with our wrists to create a uniform, clean line. However, this video shows just how much variety you can get once you make adjustments to how you use a pencil, including shaving off wood and using the lead on its side to create value, width, and a fluid sense of contour.
Happy drawing!